Shattered Dreams
by The Thought Keeper
Summary: We all aspire to become the hero we've always dreamed of. But we are constantly reminded that it doesn't work out the way we want it to. Sometimes, we become the evil we dread, because in life, you either die the hero, or live long enough to see yourself become the villain.


**A/N****: **I don't own RWBY or the characters within the franchise. The content I publish is my personal assumptions and thoughts. If they are proven incorrect through the actual storyline made by Rooster Teeth, then my apologizes. Bare with me though that this is an AU and AU's aren't necessarily based on the storyline given.

* * *

Roman had just returned from Combat Class when he threw his study material onto the floor and plopped down on his bed. It was his seventeenth birthday and what did get? Not a present from his dearest sister Lynn. Definitely not even a 'Happy Birthday' card from anybody.

No, he got an 'F' on his History test, his weapon stuffed with cream cheese and a letter designated to one Roman Torchwick. In the letter, it explained to him that the will of his parents has been changed to exclude him from his father's inheritance. He breathed a heavy sigh as he rolled onto his back and brought an arm up to shield his eyes from the ceiling light. His long hair that drooped down past his eyes often irritated the hunter as he lay on his bed inside the academy that he hated so much.

Beacon Academy.

He gritted his teeth as the thought popped into his head. The cold autumn air-filled the room as Roman was still lost in thought. _I was always the 'good' child. I have always strived towards being the best. I was the first in my family to get into the top eight at the Vytal Tournament. But no, they wanted better of their 'prized child'. Father always told me to do good for other people. Hypocrisy ran in the blood; I was no exception._

While Roman was deep in his imaginary rant, he never noticed a strange weight on his chest. After a while of struggling to get a decent amount of oxygen, he looked down to find a brunette with long glossy hair lying on top of his well-kept body, her ear listening to his heart beat inside his ribcage. Her whole body was on top of his. Her hands were pressed against his breast as he brought an arm to wrap around her. He gently rubbed circles into her back as she was the first to speak.

"Something the matter Roman?" her voice was stained with concern.

"It's nothing Arryn." Roman moved his free hand to comb her luscious locks of amber hair. It's softness rivalled silk as his fingers stroked her hair until it ended near at her lower back. Her soft skin brushed against his leg as she shifted to sit up.

"Uh huh. Mister Torchwick, as your lover and girlfriend, I am obliged to know things about you and this is one of them." She sat on Roman's hips; his hands were on her waist. Her slender build only seemed to make her average sized breasts a full set bigger. Her light brown pupils shimmered in the sunlight as the wind gently lifted her hair. Roman glided his hands up to her rib cage and pulled her closer to him.

He firmly planted a kiss on her lips as he moved his hands up and down the side of the body, occasionally sliding down to rub her silky smooth thighs. A few seconds into their passionate kiss, Arryn broke loose and got off the bed. She bounded over to her scroll and quickly messaged someone. Once she was content, she tossed it on her bed and plopped back down on Roman's hip.

"Uhh, what are you-" he began, but was interrupted by a deep and long kiss. He felt her hand run up his shirt and rub against his abs. He brought a hand up and cupped Arryn's cheek to hold her in their act of endearment. Much to his surprise, he felt a hand rub against the growing pressure in his black school jeans. She broke the embrace and whispered lustfully into his ear.

"It is your birthday after all, I just wanted to make sure you were treated right."

Roman went wide-eyed when he felt another kiss pressed against his lips. The pressure in his boxers and the desire in his mind was unbearable. What he did next was driven purely by instinct and longing. He shifted to an upright position, taking Arryn by surprise. He swiftly began to peel away her school uniform as he lavished her with kisses on the neck mixed with lustful whispers. He raised his arms as she pulled his shirt and tank-top off to reveal his toned muscles. He undid her blouse amidst another flurry kisses. He began to squeeze her chest as she let out soft moans of pleasure. He then gently laid her back and proceeded to remove her undergarments and lightly stroked the inside of her silky thighs.

"Roman, please…" she whimpered, biting her lower lip in anticipation. He smiled as he proceeded to obey her wishes. Cries of longing and ecstasy filled the warm afternoon air as they enjoyed each others company for the rest of the day.

* * *

The hunter awoke to the rays of sunlight that stung his eyes. He brought a hand up to shield the blinding light as he attempted to sit up. A hand on his chest and head on his left breast begged to differ. He gently lowered himself back onto the mattress as he began to gently stroke his girlfriend's bare back. Her soft skin made it too addicting to stop. A kiss on his lips brought him back to reality.

"Good morning," she said happily as she snuggled closer to his exposed skin.

"Morning," he replied plainly.

"Something wrong?" She propped herself onto her right elbow to get a better view of him. The shift removed the blanket covering her breasts. Roman couldn't help but eyed them greedily as he gave his response.

"Who did you message last night?" He struggled to keep a straight face as he continued to stare at her chest.

"Max. I asked him if we could have the dorm to ourselves." She sat up, letting the blanket fall to her lap as she stretched. She caught on to Roman's gaze and gave a sly smile. "Like what you see?" She gave a slight hop, enough to cause her breasts to bounce up and down, catching the hunter in a hypnotic trance; his eyes never leaving them. He slowly began to run his hand up her back and wrap around her waist to draw her closer to him.

"We have school you know." She tried to resist his pull but ultimately gave in.

"That can wait," he said as he planted a kiss on her soft lips.

* * *

"That is one of the many causes for why our lords decided to divide the land of Remnant into kingdoms ruled by separate kings."

The orange haired hunter was about to fall asleep at his spot in the lecture hall. Professor Cryan always gave the most unengaging lectures. Couple that with an already dull history class and you get a competition to see who can last the longest into his class. He would occasionally joke with his friends about his shallowness and love life.

"Roman! Can you please explain to the class why kings have multiple wives but only one heir to the throne?"

He immediately shot up from his slouched pose to a straight back and hands crossed in front. He took a moment to process the question before spitting out the answer automatically. "It's because if he were to have multiple heirs to his throne, then there would be discord amongst princes and queens. In the scenario that the king were to pass away without having decided an heir to the throne, then rival kingdoms could invade and create an unbalance which could plunge the other kingdoms into war."

Professor Cryan took a moment to digest his answer before giving his assessment on the hunters response in a professional manner. "Acceptable. If you spent as much time studying as you do procrastinating, you might be one of the finest minds in Vale."

"Oh sir, you're too kind," he gritted his teeth as muttered his compliment. he rolled his eyes as he looked down at his history textbook. 'Kings and their Kingdoms" was the title of the section they were studying. _Why are we learning this if we aspire to become hunters and huntress'? It's ludicrous._ He crossed his arms and rested his head on his elbows as he tried to drown out the lesson.

"And that is why dust mines are essential to uphold power. Now, turn to page one hundr-" The professor was about to transition to "Resources of the Land" when an announcement over the P.A. interrupted him.

"Would the members of team MOAR please report to the Headmaster's office; they are excused from the remainder of their classes. Thank you."

Groans came from around the beige room as a man dressed in gray rose from his seat and collected his belongings before leaving through the rear exit. Roman quickly followed suit, retrieving his textbook and notebook before leaving through the front exit and into the granite hallway lined with massive windows.

"So, how was yesterday?" a voice asked from his left the moment her left the room.

"Great, why do you care?" he asked casually as the two made their way down the hall. Their shadows were long and drawn across the floor and up the wall. Roman checked his scroll to find it was an hour before noon. He tucked the device back into his pocket before returning his attention to the man beside him.

"Curious whether or not you two did the deed." He playfully nudged the orange haired hunter in the arm. He was unamused to say the least.

He rolled his eyes as he turned to face forward and continued his stride. The walk was silent with occasional clicking of a student's shoe against the polished floor, rushing to return to class before they miss too much. They reminded Roman a bit of his former self. _Ready and eager to please; it was pitiful. _

No more than a few minutes of walking, they reached the base of the Clockwork Tower. So much for clockwork, he thought at first glance when the two walked in. There was scaffolding piled high against the walls and buckets of cement and blocks of granite scattered across the plastic riddled floor. Boxes of gears and sprockets were lost among the sheets of metal use to build the elevator. Unopened wooden crates doubled as chairs as a handful of construction workers were taking an early lunch break. _Lazy baboons._

Waiting at the staircase was the other half of their team. The two of them were conversing at the time when Arryn noticed the approaching men and cut their conversation short. She waved them over with a big goofy grin of her face. Max waved back while Roman nodded his head in acknowledgement.

"Hey baby." The purple haired girl embraced the man beside him and kissed him deeply. Roman rolled his eyes at their display of public affection. They always do this. After what seemed like decades, the two broke the embrace and made their way up the rickety staircase. The orange haired hunter stood silently as he felt an arm wrap around his and the warmth course across it.

"C'mon, let's go."

"Sure."

He, along with Arryn, trailed behind the whispering couple as they ascended the staircase. The trip was more or less silent between the four of them. The usual school life and dull classes with a slip of last night's events made Roman annoyed but he kept a calm face. After climbing what was fifty flights of stairs, they reached a translucent sheet of plastic draped over some metallic rods.

"He expects us to think this is a door?" the purple haired girl asked, still clinging on to her man.

"Why Headmaster Flynn wanted to use an incomplete tower as his head office is beyond me. Maybe you could ask him yourself Orlina." The brunette around Roman's arm flashed a sly grin at the other girl as she dragged the hunter into the room.

The floor was littered with scattered papers of student's resumes and job applications. Bookshelves were stacked with literature that was written long before his grandfather was born. The massive window behind the mahogany desk let in an abundance of sunlight, temporarily blinding them.

"Thank you for coming on such short notice," an old voice spoke from the worn leather chair. The speaker was in his late seventies with a bald head and a thin white beard. Wrinkles and sunspots covered his skin. He wore a gray coat and thick circular glasses that magnified his gray eyes.

"No worries sir. Might I ask why you did call us down?" Max spoke, utilizing his hands as he spoke.

"You'll find everything you need to know in this file." He pushed a file on his messy desk towards them. Arryn retrieved the paper folder and read its contents. She flipped through the papers one last time before she handed it to Roman. He opened the document and quickly skimmed through it. Something about eliminating Grimm, the usual assignment. He handed the bundle of papers to Orlina and returned his gaze to the man sitting in the chair. After a good minute of silence, the brunette beside him spoke up.

"When will we be leaving sir?" She sounded unsure.

"Effective in one hour."

"And how long will this take?"

"It varies, so pack accordingly." He sound so unengaged that it caught Roman by surprise. He brushed it off for his age as he continued to speak. "Will that be all?" Silence ensued.

"Good, then you are dismissed. Your transport will be on Landing Zone Three."

"Thank you sir. Have a good day," Max said as he was the first to leave with file in hand, followed closely by Orlina and Arryn. Roman was the last to depart the office.

"What was that about?" the leader of his team asked.

"What do you mean?" The brunette seemed slightly confused at the question.

"I don't know, but he sounded so monotone. It's like he's acting that way because he's trying to hide something." They descended another flight of stairs before Orlina spoke.

"Whatever it is, I'm just glad to get out of Physics. Professor Mynce is the worst." She sighed heavily as she then proceeded to imitate him mid-lecture. Max laughed but Roman rolled his eyes. He had a calm face. He felt a tug on his uniform and turned around to find a nervous Arryn.

"Can I talk to you?" she whispered nervously.

"Sure." He turned to face the shrinking couple who was already two flights below them. "We'll catch up with you guys," he shouted.

"Sounds good," a voice responded and faint giggling echoed through the stairwell.

"What is it?" He sounded genuinely concerned.

"I've got a bad feeling about this." She stared at her feet as she leaned against the wall.

"What do you mean?" He stuffed his hands into his pockets as he continued to stare that the glossy hair on her scalp.

"The pictures seem old and papers look fake and the facts sound off and-" she said anxiously. Roman took a step closer and placed his fingers below her chin to tilt her head back mid-explanation. He planted a firm yet gentle kiss on her lips. He felt a hand cup his cheek as she returned the embrace with just as much passion as he did. After what seemed like an eternity too short, he broke the kiss to look into her glistening light brown eyes.

"You don't have to worry. As long as you trust me, I'll be there for you," he whispered.

"You promise?"

He kissed her again with the same softness as before. After a while, he pulled back and gently cooed his response, "I promise."

* * *

Roman and Arryn were the last to reach Landing Zone Three. Max and Orlina were conversing when they noticed the approaching couple. They waved them over with grins on their faces. The brunette waved back but the hunter responded with a nod. The warm noon air and the light breeze made the hunter want to stop and enjoy the view but a mission was a mission. He sighed as he walked towards the rest of his team.

"What took you so long?" Max asked with a grin on his face.

"I don't think it is of your concern." Roman's attempt at brushing him off failed as he nudged his girlfriend in the arm, causing her blush. He mentally scolded himself for being so careless. He thought ten minutes would've been enough, but it took nearly forty this time. Curse his lustful desires.

A few more minutes of chatting and they headed towards the awaiting cargo ship. Standing by the door was a man in a gray vest with blue jeans and black goggles. He had a clipboard and was twirling the pen in boredom. The moment he caught sight of the approaching team, he straightened his posture and ended his fidgeting. The team fell in line as he began to recite their names.

"Max Armetis?" he called out.

"Present!" his team leader replied.

"Orlina Ryn?"

"Here!"

"Arryn Lynx?"

A wave was his answer. He sighed as he called out the final name. "Roman Torchwick?"

A nodded was the hunters answer.

"Team MOAR, you guys are flying to a rural region in Vale, right?"

"Yes sir!" Max saluted. Whatever he did, it all had one thing in common; it annoyed the orange haired hunter.

"Hop on. We leave in five minutes," he said as the flight officer climbed into the cargo bay of the transport ship. His team leader was the first on, followed closely behind by Orlina. Arryn was next and last on was the hunter himself.

"You guys check your weapons?" a different flight officer asked.

Max unsheathed his double-edge greataxe and examined the blade. Once satisfied he twisted the handle and the two metal parts expanded outwards to create the head of a crossbow. The head slid closer to the bent handle and the excess metal at the front folded downwards to create a grip for the weapon.

Orlina took out a set of brass knuckles. She threw a few punches in the air. She noticed that the flight officer was staring at her. She smiled and gave the grip a firm squeeze. Markings on her hand glowed a bright purple as magenta aura surrounded her hands. The energy that encompassed her hand took the shape of claws as she swung them around.

Arryn put on her leather gloves and took out five serrated shurikens. With a flick of her wrist, the blades fell off their holding ring and began to levitate in the air. She took the rings and slid them on her fingers. She waved her hand around and the blades that were once connected to their respective ring moved in the same motion and arc.

Roman breathed a sigh as he brought out his cane to inspected the chamber. No cream cheese, good. He tapped his pocket to find his dust crystals. He placed his cane beside him as he looked out the window to see the blue cloudless skies.

"Alright, let's go!" the cargo bay master shouted at the pilot. The plane lifted off and was on its way. The orange haired hunter closed his eyes and leaned his head back to get some much-needed rest.

* * *

He was abruptly awoken by a violent jolt. He struggled to get up when another bump rocked the ship. He instinctively reached for Melodic Cudgel as another barrage of air turbulence shook the air ship.

"What's going on?" he asked the cargo bay master.

"We've hit bad weather, hold on!"

Roman looked out the window and was greeted by a flash of lightning. He looked beside him to find the rest of his team had the same idea as he did. Arryn laid on his lap and Orlina on Max's shoulder. He gently stroked her light brown hair was he stared out the window. Rain pelted the glass and metal skin as they continued on with their journey. After a few minutes of silence in the hull, the lifeless light that was placed at the front of the cargo door glowed a visible green.

"Alright, come on, let's go," the man shouted. The rest of his team seemed to have awakened at the shout of a person's voice but not the rumble of thunder. He rolled his eyes and the girl in his lap began to shift. He gently patted her head as her eyes fluttered open.

"Hey there, you sleep well?" he whispered. A nod was her response as she sat up and stretched her muscles.

"Everybody good?" the pilot shouted.

"Yes sir!" Max replied.

"Good. Get ready!"

"For wha-" Roman started as the airship took a sudden descension causing the ears of his team to pop. His hands were covering his ringing ears when the ship came to an abrupt stop. The cargo bay door swung opened as the sound of impacting water droplets against the metal sheeting filled the vacant hull.

"Go! Go! Go!"

The four of them quickly hopped out of the motionless airship and was immediately drenched in freezing cold rain. The once silent engines of the transport roared to life and disappeared into the cloudy gray sky. After the initial shock of the landing and departure, they gathered themselves in a nearby cave to plan their next move.

"Quite the mission," Roman said with his usual fake enthusiasm.

"The weather was so nice when we left. What do you suppose happened while we were asleep?" Arryn asked as she shivered slightly. The orange haired hunter unbuttoned his thick white jacket and revealed his light gray t-shirt underneath. He draped the damp yet warm coat over her shoulders. She smiled as she slid her arms in the sleeves and returned her attention to the others.

"Anybody know where we are?" Orlina asked as she looked outside. Dead trees littered the soggy ground. Visibility was terrible, much to the contrasting report of the weather report on the news. Sunshine my ass.

"In an uninhabited forest on the edge of Vale," Max answered.

"Why are we even here?" Roman asked as he pace the room, utilizing Melodic Cudgel as a walking stick. He left wet footprints on the places his foot made contact with the floor.

"Something about having to clear a pack of Grimm from the forest." Orlina answered as she wrung out her purple hair.

"We should move out when we're ready." Arryn suggested as she combed her damp tangled hair. The light brown strands lost all of its shine but still looked very presentable.

"Now would be a good time," the leader said confidently as he rose from his spot and made his way towards the exit.

"What about the weather?" The orange haired hunter gestured to the intense downpour outside.

"We'll just have to deal with it." With that said, he left the spacious cave followed closely by his purple haired girlfriend. Roman stood motionless as he watched the pair enter the endless wall of water. He felt a hand gasp his and gripped it tightly.

"You promised me that you would be there for me. So I'm promising you that I'll always be there for you." She planted quick kiss on his wet cheek and left the cave, leaving the pondering hunter with his thoughts.

_Screw it._

* * *

He gripped the handle of his cane gun tighter as he pivoted his head to scan the barren landscape. The has yet to be a single live tree and the rain only seems to have been the beginning. Thunder rumbled in the distance as lightning sparked across the blackening sky.

"So much for eliminating Grimm." The purple haired huntress brushed her soaking wet hair behind her ears as she brought up his teams right flank.

"I don't get it, there were suppose to be several packs of Beowolves and Ursa. It's way to peaceful." Arryn scanned the desolate trees to find a hint at their next location.

"Maybe they smelt my amazing strength and awesomeness of me and ran away." Max flexed his muscles and did his best impersonation of a body builder. The two girls giggled but Roman was too preoccupied to even roll his eyes.

The air smelt of rotten flesh and fecal matter. He heard several grunts and the occasional snapping of branches out in the thicket of wood. Though he was at the end covering his teams back, her could swear someone or something was staring at him. Lightning flashed overhead and illuminated the forest in a brilliant white. Even if it was for a second, he saw four pairs of red orbs stare at him behind several fallen trees.

"Guys..." He slowly armed Melodic Cudgel with a yellow flash crystal.

"Something wrong Roman?" Arryn sounded confused and worried.

"Get ready."

"An explanation would help you know," Orlina added with a hint of annoyance in her voice.

Roman fired the shot into the black skies and waited. After a few seconds, the round combusted, lighting the area around them for ten seconds. All around them, shadows and silhouettes of Grimm were seen. Ursa and Beowolves of different ages were staring at them with their red soulless eyes. The light then disappeared, leaving the shocked group.

"Now what?" the purple haired huntress whispered.

"Arm your weapons." The man said as he drew his battleaxe. "On my mark, we go. Got it?" Silence accompanied the question as the rain never let up. Lightning flashed once more to reveal the forest of lifeless trees. The Grimm were still there, watching their every move. "Now!"

In one swift motion, Roman reloaded and chambered an explosive round and fired it into the cluster of trees. Squeals of pain and the falling of upright trees could be heard. The ground below their feet rumbled as the Grimm rushed forward. He continued to fire more rounds as he heard his teammates engage with the opponent. They fought for several minutes in a diamond formation when the sound of falling logs and screaming Beowolves caught the attention of the orange haired hunter. The snapping of claws and the skittering across the damp land sent warnings and chills down his spine.

"Deathstalker!"

"Formation: Explosive Blades!" his team leader shouted as the sounds of metal on bone could be heard. Arryn ran up beside the orange haired hunter and readied her stance. He loaded another round of bullets and aimed it in front of him.

"Ready?" he asked calmly.

"Yea."

"Go."

He fired his gun and an explosion rang through the ears of everybody in the general vicinity. The brunette waved her hands and sent a storm of razor-sharp metal in the same arc. Squeals of pain were heard as they continued the rotation. A deafening roar above them sent heads looking into the air to find the source of the noise.

"Nevermore!" Max shouted as more sounds of broken bone were heard.

"Looks like we're about to be never more," Roman joked as he fired a flash round into the air.

"Not the best timing but it'll do!" the man shouted with a hint of contentedness.

The round detonated, illuminating the sky and the land below. Sure enough, there was silhouette of a massive avian creature. With a flap of its wing, it sent a hail of feathers raining down upon them.

"Look out!" Orlina exclaimed as she somersaulted out of one of the projectiles way. Her team followed suit. Soon, another roar thundered above them as lightning flashed overhead. A stampede of footsteps could be heard around them. "Crap, it's called reinforcements!"

"We can't take much more of this!" Max cried out as he fired an arrow into the skull of a Beowolf. "How's your ammunition supplies?"

"Almost out," the orange haired hunter replied.

"Alright, we'll just have to make our-"

"No."

"What?" Orlina shouted as she ripped her weapon out of the abdomen of an Ursa.

"Roman?" Arryn asked cautiously.

He knew what the two options were. Either their whole team dies of one person makes the sacrifice to save the team. He weighed the options in his mind. Sure, his team would have to deal with the grief and sorrow, especially Arryn. He wouldn't get to see her graduate or her wedding dress or their first child. He shook his head to clear his thoughts; his mind made up.

"I'll create a distraction, you guys run."

"What!" Max cried out in disbelief.

"No, I am not leaving you!" the brunette shouted.

"There's got to be another way!" The other hunter swung his axe and cracked the skull of a Beowolf. "Damnit, think!"

"There's no use," he answered calmly.

"We will not leave you, we can fight together, and-" Orlina started but a flash of lightning illuminated his face. His calm emotionless expression silenced her.

"No, no, no no no nonono no." Arryn collapsed onto the floor and began sobbing. Her tears matching the rain that pelted her face. Roman walked over and knelt down beside her. He placed a finger underneath her chin and tilted her head back. He planted a firm kiss on her mouth. After a few seconds into their embrace, her pulled back, causing her to chase his retreating lips.

"It's going to be okay." He stared into her light brown eyes. He cupped her cheek and wiped her tears and raindrops off her face. He gently lifted her to her feet. They stood there in silence before she swiftly hugged him. She gripped onto him as if clinging on for dear life. He closed his eyes and softly rubbed her back. He inhaled her scent of jasmine one last time before pulling out.

"Go," he whispered.

"But…" Max started as a flash of lightning and the thunderous roar of the nevermore along with stampede of oncoming made him close his eyes and clench his fists. "You had better be alive when we get back Roman Torchwick."

"...Sure…"

A final frantic kiss from Arryn was felt on his mouth. She wrapped her arms around him and pulled back so she could see his dark gray eyes. "Promise you'll be there for our wedding." He closed his eyes and placed his hand around her waist.

"I promise." He gritted his teeth as he spoke his lie. He knew it was the only way for them to give him enough faith to abandon him. She broke the embrace and reluctantly walked away from the drenching wet hunter.

"Alright, once we get to the nearest town, we're calling for backup. We won't take long you hear?"

"Got it," he replied calmly.

"Alright, c'mon, we gotta hurry." Max took off sprinting, followed closely by Orlina. Arryn was the last to leave. She gave one more hopeful glance as she departed.

He looked up into the sky as the cold rain pelted his face. His orange hair that was soaking wet stuck to his face as he brought his gaze back down to the horizon. He noticed a Boarbatusk staring at him as a small army of Beowolves, Deathstalkers and Ursa surrounded him.

"You want some? Well come get some!"

* * *

**I hoped you enjoyed it. Don't forget to leave a comment/review, whether it is supportive or constructive, it really helps me with my writing. Anyways, have a great morning/afternoon/evening/night/life!**


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